Penguins News

Pens Focus On Winning Game 5

Trailing the Detroit Red Wings, 3-1, the team must win Monday night's Game 5 in Detroit to stave off elimination in the Stanley Cup Final.

“We know we are in a tough situation. It’s going to be extremely difficult, but they still have to win one game,” Penguins winger Marian Hossa said. “We’re going to fight to the end. We just have to keep our heads up and get ready for the next game.”

Even though the Penguins face an imposing task of needing to win three-straight games to claim the Stanley Cup, they are not focused on the big picture.

“That’s a cliche, but we’ll take one game at a time,” Penguins coach Michel Therrien said. “We’ll see.”

It all starts Monday night when the Penguins travel back to Detroit’s Joe Louis Arena.

“It’s not a 3-1 situation. Right now, there’s one game. It’s 0-0; you go back to square one. That’s it,” Penguins winger Adam Hall said. “We’re fighting for our lives now and our season and one game is all that matters right now.”

The Penguins struggled in Detroit as they were outscored, 7-0, in two losses to open the series.

“None of that matters. Everything in our past doesn’t matter,” Hall said. “We have to start over. We have confidence in all our guys and this isn’t over.”

Pittsburgh rebounded from those two defeats to earn a 3-2 triumph in Game 3. The Penguins delivered another solid effort in Game 4, but were edged by the Red wings.

“We have to win one. We have to win one to get back. So that’s the way we’re thinking,” Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said. “I thought we were pretty consistent throughout the game. It could have gone either way. But, our effort was there and we created some chances, and they didn’t go in. It was anyone’s game. It’s 1-1 and the next goal pretty much wins, and they got it.

“They scored two [Saturday] night. We scored one. So, I don’t think they’re running away with it. I don’t think we’re playing catch-up either,” he continued. “So, we’ll battle them in Detroit and see what happens.”